1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to garments and garment accessories. The present invention relates more specifically to shoulder straps for garments, especially for women's undergarments and the like. The invention relates to an assembly or set of garment shoulder straps that are interchangeable and distinct.
2. Description of the Related Art
Undergarments for women are manufactured and marketed in a variety of colors, fabrics and styles. The need for a variety in part relates to the variety of outer garments most often worn in conjunction with the undergarments. Frequently the outer garments do not fully and completely cover the undergarments, so it becomes necessary for the garments to appear similar or at least complimentary. This occurs most commonly with women's brassieres worn in conjunction with shirts or dresses that have shoulder straps. It is frequently impossible to keep the shoulder straps of the brassiere from being exposed under the shoulder straps of the dress or shirt. It is undesirable for these two sets of straps to be of different colors, textures or materials.
To address this problem, many women attempt to buy and wear a brassiere that matches each different shirt or dress that they own. This obviously can become expensive and impractical since the color and material array of shirts and dresses is much wider than that associated with brassieres. It would be desirable if it were possible to change the appearance of the brassiere straps without changing the entire brassiere. The same would be true for any of a number of different women's undergarments such as body briefs, camisoles and the like. It would further be desirable if the mechanisms for altering and varying the appearance of the straps on an undergarment could be readily adaptable, not only in appearance, but in the manner in which they are attached to the undergarment.
Efforts in the past to provide such versatility have been limited. Examples of patents issued in the prior art include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,768 issued to Green on May 12, 1998 entitled ADJUSTABLE CUP BRA. This patent describes a brassiere that incorporates a number of adjustable length straps within the cup of the bra rather than over the shoulder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,205 issued to Lee on Mar. 5, 1996 entitled BRASSIERE WITH CONCEALED CLOSABLE POCKETS. This patent focuses on pockets within the cups of the brassiere but does disclose connecting rings for the attachment of the shoulder straps to the cups of the bra.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,182 issued to Heinen on Dec. 15, 1992, entitled CAMISOLE BRASSIERE. This patent describes a brassiere with a soft camisole top that achieves support by extending the shoulder straps across the interior of the cups to be attached to the lower edge of the cups. The patent also discloses an adjustable attachment point in the shoulder straps on the back of the brassiere.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,452 issued to Kelly on Apr. 30, 1991 entitled BREATHABLE BRASSIERE WITH ADJUSTABLE DRAWSTRING. This patent focuses on an adjustable center drawstring that serves to form and shape the cups of the brassiere. The patent discloses and describes the common use of length-adjustment devices for changing the length of the straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,597 issued to Michel on Feb. 7, 1961 entitled BODY ENCIRCLING GARMENTS. This patent describes a front closure to a brassiere and likewise discloses adjustable attachment means for the straps of the brassiere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,465 issued to Alexander on Mar. 21, 1978 entitled KITCHEN APRON WITH CHANGEABLE FRONT PANEL. This patent is drawn to an outer garment, namely an apron that is tied around the neck and which extends down to an interchangeable panel as would be typical of a kitchen apron. The purpose of the changeable front panel is to provide an easy means for altering the type of panel needed under a variety of household demands.
None of the efforts in the past have adequately addressed the need for a single undergarment foundation to which might be attached a number of distinct shoulder straps for use in conjunction with a similar variety of outer garments.